My mum's boisterous siamese The Lola was recently hit by a car, and had to have a broken leg amputated (pinning was deemed unlikely to work). I'm going to be watching her house next week and I'm assuming The Lola's usual physical pastime of climbing on the roof is not going to be very viable anymore. Given she's likely to have recovered from the surgery by then, what are some playthings that might be good to cheer her up/tire her out while she doesn't have full balance back yet? [more inside]
posted by solarion
on Mar 24, 2015 -
12 answers

We brought home a second cat yesterday in an effort to give our existing cat a playmate. They began interacting nearly right away, and I'm not sure what to do about overnight arrangements. Additional sleep-deprived ramblings inside. [more inside]
posted by area.man
on Mar 23, 2015 -
8 answers

My flooring is all vinyl and tile. I sweep and clean regularly, but a film of dust forms quickly and my cat constantly sheds. I live in a ~600 sqft place and it's annoying to put up with. What's the best way to prevent and clean cat hair and dust?
posted by GiveUpNed
on Mar 8, 2015 -
21 answers

Kitteh is 17 and going strong, except that he's lost three pounds in the past several months. His vet has prescribed special food. I bought samples of two brands from the vet to see if he'd eat them and he likes them both (good kitty!) Now I need to find the best source to buy them from in bulk. [more inside]
posted by caryatid
on Mar 6, 2015 -
8 answers

The mister and I are bringing home two 12-week-old kittens in a few weeks, and we're first-time cat owners. What toys/furniture/fixtures are most important to keep itty bitty kitties entertained and happy until we figure out what they like the most? [more inside]
posted by specialagentwebb
on Mar 6, 2015 -
21 answers

My poor kitten(5 months in good health) is getting spayed on Friday! Omg I feel so bad for her. I do not know what to really expect. They have done preop tests and they said results were good.
But so scared of the whole experience. How did it go for your cat?how long did it take for her coat to come back?
posted by barexamfreak
on Mar 4, 2015 -
35 answers

I just adopted a sweet, 9-year-old female cat, Lucy. I want to make sure I give her a happy and healthy life. Particularly, I want to make sure she stays physically fit and is not bored. [more inside]
posted by picardythird
on Mar 2, 2015 -
23 answers

I just found this worm, brownish and about an 3/4 of an inch long, on the bed next to where my cats were resting. Can someone identify it, and let me know if it's harmless or potentially an intestinal worm? [more inside]
posted by zombiedance
on Feb 24, 2015 -
6 answers

I'd love to get my girlfriend a session with a pet photographer for her birthday - she's dropped hints about wanting to get some great photos or a portrait of her beloved cat. Any recommendations for good photographers/artists in Toronto?
posted by greatgefilte
on Feb 15, 2015 -
5 answers

We are considering adopting an elderly cat who has stage 3 kidney failure. We have two cats. Are we crazy? Is this just asking for trouble? [more inside]
posted by sadtomato
on Feb 14, 2015 -
18 answers

My cat has had problems with what appears to be burping, indigestion, and stomach discomfort for going on a couple of years now. Lately the problem seems to be worsening, as every week or so there's a morning where he's not interested in food and remains curled up on a chair. Any suggestions? [more inside]
posted by whistle pig
on Feb 9, 2015 -
23 answers

Our cat is diabetic. It's well controlled, but we need some way to find a less expensive prescription. He's on 4.5 units of Lantus twice a day. The cost has tripled since we started giving this to him and coupled with the special food it's a painful expense. It works well. He's healthy, comfortable, and in pretty good shape for his 17 years (6 with the diabetes). I need concrete suggestions for filling his prescription at the best price possible. Can you recommend a reliable Canadian pharmacy that caters to pets? Is there some discount program we can enroll in? Any strategies would be appreciated. We're not going to stop his medication ( we haven't reached that point yet ) but I want to stop mentally calculating prescription cost * average remaining cat life span every time we get this filled.
posted by anonymous
on Jan 16, 2015 -
13 answers

My 17 year old kitty, UFO, doesn't seem to be able to keep her fur clean and fluffy. I brush her, but that's not enough. I don't want to stress her with a wet bath. Does anyone have experience with dry bath products for kitties? Any suggestions are welcome.
posted by mightshould
on Jan 13, 2015 -
17 answers

I know you are not my cat, and that any cat's reaction to a new situation may be terror and refusal. Having said that, I want to make the cat box chore to be less awful and am considering getting an automated cat box to take some of the ick factor out of the work. [more inside]
posted by boo_radley
on Jan 8, 2015 -
29 answers

My cat is keeping her left eye less open than the right one. It is a little watery, and the eyelid tissue seems a little inflamed. She is also sneezing a little. Other than that she seems normal. Vet checkup a month ago was fine. 13yo, indoor only. No other pets.
You are not my vet, but at what point should I take her to the vet? How long (if at all) should I wait to see if it clears up? I noticed it yesterday evening (apx 12 hrs ago).
Thanks!
posted by neutralmojo
on Jan 8, 2015 -
19 answers

We will be needing a cat sitter for two indoor-only cats for a week or two in February. Does anyone have a recommendation? We are located in SE if that matters.
posted by zymoglyphic
on Dec 31, 2014 -
7 answers

I gave my three-year old an easel with drawing implements for Christmas and would like to be able to draw pictures on it that look like actual things and not crazed scribbles of a drunk. How do I do this? [more inside]
posted by Tevin
on Dec 30, 2014 -
18 answers

I wrote this question a while ago and now we are all settled in and getting ready to adopt a male kitten to join our established Cat.
But - I've got more questions! [more inside]
posted by JenThePro
on Dec 24, 2014 -
16 answers

My beloved little cat (complete with a twitter account) died in the early hours on monday.
I live alone and *feel* really alone without a furry, purring, mice chasing feline in my life.
Is there any rule of thumb on the right delay between burying a cat and adopting a new one ?
posted by Baud
on Dec 5, 2014 -
36 answers

A hair over 3 weeks ago, our almost-15 year old mushpot of a cat went in for some long overdue dental work, which turned out to include 8 extractions. Since then, he hasn't been eating much and it's driving me crazy. [more inside]
posted by area.man
on Dec 2, 2014 -
9 answers

Thought I had the perfect name, but now I'm not sure... The kitten in question is tabby/Bengal, or perhaps "benglish" and deserves the right name. What do you suggest? [more inside]
posted by janey47
on Dec 1, 2014 -
43 answers

I recently lost my pet cat to a coyote attack. I think I'm dealing with the grief of his death OK, but I'm feeling a little murkier about the trauma from the actual incident, which I was present for. [more inside]
posted by BuddhaInABucket
on Nov 19, 2014 -
11 answers

I adopted a 10 week old kitten from the aspca on 10/31. He went for a booster shot today and the vet said he might have a touch of ringworm. One of his toes lost a little fur. It has been that way for two days and he was acting normally and I knew he was going to the vet so I let it go. The vet gave me a sulphur-y bath thing and clipped some of his fur to test. They explained to put the collar on him so he can't lick the solution but didn't say to do anything else. Is the bath all I need to do? [more inside]
posted by the twistinside
on Nov 11, 2014 -
8 answers

Sooner than any of us would like, we're going to have to put one of our cats to sleep. I've never done this before. Looking for a Durham, NC area vet who can come to our home, and for a pet cremation service. [more inside]
posted by Coatlicue
on Nov 11, 2014 -
17 answers

10 y/o female cat. She's urinated on the bed twice before, but never when we were in it. Now it's happened with us IN THE BED twice in the course of three days. What the hell do we do, and what the hell does this mean? [more inside]
posted by namesarehard
on Nov 7, 2014 -
21 answers

My "new" cat, Tiny, has gained weight after becoming an indoors-only cat. The vet thinks she should lose about a pound. I have cut down her food just a bit, hoping that slowly it would help take off the weight. She acts like she is miserable, to the point of trying to eat things cats don't typically eat, like saltines (caught in the act!). Help me figure out what else I can do. [more inside]
posted by Stewriffic
on Nov 5, 2014 -
31 answers

A feral cat got into a fight with my dog in the yard, bit me, and now--several hours later--is staring into the house with my blood dripping from its mouth. How do I get this animal to leave without hurting it? [more inside]
posted by pineappleheart
on Nov 2, 2014 -
61 answers

You are not my vet. However, I have seen a regular vet and a veterinary oncologist and now have some difficult choices to make and I would be very grateful for first hand accounts from people who have tried metronomic chemotherapy with their pet (especially cats) or other people's pets (if you're a vet or if you're close to someone who has gone through this sort of thing before). I am seeking advice and real-life experiences to supplement any advice regular vets or oncologists may give me. [more inside]
posted by apis mellifera
on Oct 31, 2014 -
16 answers

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